In their element

This summer has been a bed of roses for gastropods

Today is St Swithin’s Day, and if the weather can just remain fair – as the forecasters say it may, although it strains the nation’s credulity – then, according to an ancient tradition, it will “rain no more” for the next 40 days. It seems incredible, given that a normal July’s allocation of rain has already fallen in the first half of the month, that we could suddenly face a month of blazing sunshine. And of course it is. The St Swithin’s day proverb has been tested many times, and it has proved to be, by modern empirical standards, not all that trustworthy.

The Met Office’s forecast for the next 30 days are more likely to be accurate: their scientific verdict is that the weather will be “changeable”. The meteorologists also suggest that “some rain is likely at times” – a prediction that may be greeted with a collective groan from the human populace, but will raise the mollusc equivalent of a cheer from beneath our feet.

For slugs and snails, this summer has been a bed of roses. One village flower show has even introduced a competition for “largest slug” and “heaviest snail”. We dread to imagine what the dimensions of the winning gastropods might be.